Illegal Dumpers To Be Caught On Camera

By Marcus Braid on January 5, 2015 in News

Illegal dumpers are now more likely to be caught in the act than ever, following the installation of six CCTV cameras at known dumping hotspots in the Randwick municipality.

The cameras are now in operation in Kensington, Kingsford, Maroubra and Randwick.

Randwick Mayor Ted Seng said Council was stepping up its effort to clamp down and catch illegal dumping offenders.

“Illegal dumping will not be tolerated and that’s why we’re stepping things up by installing these cameras,” he said.

“Illegal dumping costs Council more than $2 million every year, with household furniture the most commonly dumped goods in our otherwise beautiful city.

Council will review the locations of the cameras every six months and relocate if necessary.

The move is part of an Illegal Dumping and Waste Management Plan, which was endorsed by Council earlier this year. It follows a ‘Who Cares about the Environment’ survey that showed that residents’ greatest concern with the environment is litter and illegal dumping.

“In 2013/14 there were more than 11,500 instances of illegal dumping, adding up to more than 600 tonnes of waste,” Cr Seng said.

“CCTV cameras offer us another way of combatting this issue to hopefully reduce the impacts on our environment.

“The cameras send a strong message to the community that we are serious about decreasing illegal dumping and hopefully they will help deter illegal dumping in the future. It’s simple: if you dump, there’s a good chance you’ll be caught and fined.”

In Randwick, most illegally dumped material is from households and includes unwanted mattresses, sofas, bric-a-brac, appliances and bags of garden clippings.

Dumping rubbish in public places may incur on-the-spot fines ranging from $750 up to $1,000 for individuals, while businesses can be fined up to $5,000.